Afghan Biographies

Khanabad District Kunduz Province Khan Abad

Name

Khanabad District Kunduz Province Khan Abad

Ethnic backgr.

Date of birth

Function/Grade

District Chief District Police Chief

History and Biodata

Khanabad District Chief Kunduz Kundus Province:
Hashimi (20050215),
No District and Police Chief 2010 reported.
There is a Militia from former warlords taking care of administration and security.
Nizamuddin Nashir Nashar (20101116, 20120716), Nezamudin Nasher hails from the famous and influential family of the founders of the originally Kunduz-based and now countrywide textile company Spinzarhis. Nashar's car exploded 20120716 in the afternoon after a magnetic bomb attached to the car detonated, injuring six people including Nasher. He was driving in the central part of the district called Chawk-e-Kunduz when the blast occurred. Nasher fled to Europe.
Hayatullah Amiri is the son of famous commander Amir Muhammad Chugha (20130507, 20141210, 20150728, 20160821, 20170418)
Qodratullah Safi executive head of Khanabad district (20161102)

District Police Chief:
LT Col Sufi Habib Sofi Habibullah Habib (20110910) Col. Hasibullah was going from Baghlan to Khanabad district when his vehicle was blown off by a planted roadside mine and he lost his live. His son and one of his bodyguards were injured.(20121118, 20130117))

Other strong men:
A roadside bomb in northern Afghanistan on 20110910 killed the local militia commander Mohammad Akbar who had been heavily involved in anti-Taliban activities. He was commander of 20 pro-government militiamen in the village of Aqtash.

Khanabad district is divided into fiefdoms by commanders and sub-commanders. Many have links with high-ranking officials in the district and the province. These are the most influential of the commanders:

Muhammad Omar Pakhsaparan is a former jihadi commander linked with Dawat-e Islami party, led by Abdul Rabb Rasul Sayyaf. He controls most the Aqtash area. Commander Omar has many enemies and rivals in the district. His major rival is the ethnic Tajik Mir Alam, one of the most influential commanders in the province; he belongs to Jamiat-e Islami . A few months ago, fourteen members of his family were killed in the explosion of an IED in Khanabad. Omar accused Mir Alams’ men of having placed the IED, and according to the rumors, has since then vowed to destroy his enemy in revenge. One of Mohammad Omar’s fiercest enemies in Aqtash is Sher Mohammad, who is supported by Mir Alam.

Commander Qadir (known as Qadirak, “Little Qadir”)was around 26 years old when the Taleban killed him in August 2014. His base of support benefitted from the patronage of Mir Alam. He ruled over the village of Chahrtut, only few kilometers from the district center. Taleban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, identifying Qadirak as an ALP commander, said that he was killed in clashes with Taleban forces in early August. Khanabad district governor Amiri stated that villagers had invited in the Taleban to kill Qadirak, who had been regularly harassing, killing and extorting local residents. However, Qadirak had many enemies in the district, his main rival was commander Postakai (a Pashtun commander link to Sayyaf). Qadirak had more than hundreds armed men under his command, and he recently expanded his territory quite wider. This resulted in many clashes against other local commanders, and eventually his death at the hands of the Taleban.

Qadirak, an ethnic Aymaq, had been assisted by Tajik and Hazara commanders in his predatory expeditions against Pashtuns across Kunduz province, including in Khanabad district.

Commander Matin (known as Matinak, “Little Matin”) is an ethnic Hazara and rules over Charigariha village, only one kilometer away from the city centre. He leads a group of 10 to 30 armed men who often prey on Pashtun residents. Matinak has had several clashes with other commanders. The most recent case is his dispute with commander Qadirak over bacha bazi (sexual abuse of young boys). According to a local source, Matinak’s bacha-ye be-risha (the boy that is sexually abused; literally “beardless boy”) ran away and sheltered with commander Qadirak. The clash between both commanders resulted in serious casualties for both sides. Finally, local elders stepped in to settle the dispute and returned the boy back to Matinak.

Commander Nawid (known as ‘Nawidak’) is an ethnic Tajik, Nawidak is in control of Charikariha area of the district. He has established a degree of notoriety in Khanabad. He has previously been charged with killing civilians; however in the past he has enjoyed a degree of impunity due to the backing of regional power brokers Mir Alam and late Marshal Fahim. The former chief of police, Sufi Habibullah, once declared publicly that he could not arrest him because of the interference of Marshal Fahim. Nawidak had threatened Sufi Habibullah at various occasions after this.

The cases of commander Qadirak, Faizak and Nawidak illustrate the extent to which Mir Alam holds leverage over his commanders. All three have been charged with killing civilians in the past, but district and provincial authorities have never been able to arrest them. Until Fahim’s death, the axis of support Marshal Fahim-Mir Alam granted them complete impunity. Anwar Jagdalak, the former provincial governor of Kunduz, publicly denounced the interference of high figures in the politics of the province on TV.